moonstar Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 If gathering your own plants, there are certain ones that look a lot like poisonous ones. 1. Angelica................Easy to confuse water hemlock 2. Comfrey.................Can be confused with first years leaf growth on Foxglove. Foxglove flowers also look similiar 3. Caraway.................Young leaves similiar to Fool's Parsley and Poison Hemlock 4. Fox Grape...............Don't confuse with Canada Moonseed 5. Hop Tree or Wafer Ash...Don't confuse leaves of this tree with poison ivy leaves 6. Marsh Marigold..........American White Hellebore (False Hellebore) can be mistaken for this 7. Parsley.................Has been confused with Water Hemlock, Fool's Parsley, Poison Parsley 8. Smooth Sumac............Mistaken for Poison Sumac 9. Sweet Cicely (Anise Root)..Mistaken for Poison Hemlock 10. Wild Carrots...........Poison Hemlock 11. Wild Fennel............May be confused with poison hemlock Can anyone add to this list? Link to comment
gardnmom Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 This is why it is necessary to look at the complete detailed info on the shape, texture, and even the fluid in the stem, that is where you can confirm or refute what they are. I can use St Johns wort as an example... the leaves look very much like another weed that grows near it in early spring before it flowers, but the flowers are different, the St Johns wort grows tall while the look alike is a vine, The St Johns wort will stain your hands a red brown in color when you pick it. In early spring when you find it, pick a single leaf, hold it up and look at it as though you want to look through it, the St Johns wort looks like it has little holes in it, (these are actually oil pockets) but the other does not. Link to comment
Guest Guest Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 This is something I really worry about, so I try to just buy the plants from a nursery to start with, then I can get a real up close and personal look at them, even put my hands on the leaves and notice any small details. Once I think Ive got the info, I feel much safer when I go herb hunting... Jung seeds sells some of the more rare plants, and their catalog is free if you order it on line... just a suggestion and my 2cents worth...(again) AM. Link to comment
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